This application claims the priority of Japanese Patent Application No. 10-306688 filed on Oct. 28, 1998, which is incorporated herein by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a gaming machine, such as slot machine, pachinko machine, pachislo gaming machine, or the like; and, in particular, to a gaming machine adapted indicate by sound effects the occurrence of a special game
2. Description of the Prior Art
A conventional gaming machine will be explained, by way of example, in regard to a slot machine which is a typical gaming machine.
A conventional slot machine can start a game when a game medal is inserted therein. When a player operates a start switch after a game starting condition is set in order, a plurality of reels rotate, so that a plurality of symbols formed on the surface of each reel move at a high speed. Then, when the player operates the respective stop switches corresponding to the individual reels, the latter stop rotating, whereby a plurality of symbols formed on the reel surfaces are displayed in their stopped state.
Here, in the case where the symbols thus displayed in their stopped state constitute a predetermined combination, then game medals are paid out or a special game known as so-called big bonus game can be played.
This special game allows the player to play a game under a condition more advantageous than that in normal games. For example, the player can acquire a greater number of medals in a big bonus game than in a normal game. Therefore, the player is playing games while expecting occurrences of special games in which a greater number of game medals can be acquired.
Also, for informing the player of the occurrence of a special game, so as to enhance the pleasure of games, LEDs and lamps are blinked, sound effects are generated from a speaker, and so forth.
In the conventional slot machine mentioned above, however, the sound effects generated from the speaker are based on only one kind of sound effect pattern. For example, when a big bonus game occurs, a fanfare indicating the occurrence of the big bonus game is sounded, and so forth.
Meanwhile, with a slot machine in which a special game has once occurred, the player typically keeps playing games while expecting special games to further occur. In this case, if the sound effects (winning sounds) identical to those at the first occurrence of the special game are generated upon the second or later occurrence, the pleasure of gaming may not fully be enjoyed.
Namely, in the case where special games have occurred many times, if the same sound effects are heard every time, the impression of the occurrences of special games will gradually fade away, so that the pleasure of gaming may not be enjoyed in the second and later special games as compared with the first special game.
Also, as with the above-mentioned slot machine, other gaming machines such as pachinko machine, pachislo gaming machine, and the like include those which allow players to play special games more advantageous than normal games, thus having similar problems.
In view of the above-mentioned circumstances, it is an object of the present invention to provide a gaming machine which, by preparing a plurality of sound effect patterns for indicating occurrences of special games, generates a new impression upon each occurrence of special games, thus allowing its players to fully enjoy the pleasure of gaming.
For achieving the above-mentioned object, the gaming machine of the present invention is a gaming machine which causes a game to be played on condition that a game medium is inserted therein, and allows a player to play a special game more advantageous than a normal game when a predetermined condition is achieved; the gaming machine comprising sound effect pattern storage apparatus for storing a plurality of sound effect patterns therein; sound effect pattern selector for selecting one sound effect pattern from the plurality of sound effect patterns stored in the sound effect pattern storage apparatus according to a predetermined condition; and an indicator for informing, when the special game occurs, the player of an occurrence of the special game by generating sound effects according to the sound effect pattern selected by the sound effect pattern selector.
The sound effect selector may comprise random number generator for generating a random number within a predetermined numerical range, and a sound effect pattern may be selected according to a random number value generated by the random number generator.
The sound effect pattern may be selected by the sound effect pattern selector upon the occurrence of the special game.
The gaming machine may be a slot machine.
The sound effects may comprise a fanfare.
The plurality of sound effect patterns may comprise a plurality of tunes having melodies different from each other.
The plurality of sound effect patterns may comprise an identical melody but differ from each other in at least one of tempo and interval thereof.
Further, the gaming machine of the present invention is a gaming machine which causes a game to be played on condition that a game medium is inserted therein, and allows a player to play a special game more advantageous than a normal game when a predetermined condition is achieved; the gaming machine comprising sound effect pattern storage means storing a plurality of sound effect patterns therein; sound effect pattern selecting means for selecting one sound effect pattern from the plurality of sound effect patterns stored in the sound effect pattern storage means according to a predetermined condition; and indicating means for informing, when the special game occurs, the player of an occurrence of the special game by generating sound effects according to the sound effect pattern selected by the sound effect pattern selecting means.